Wanda I. Tarvin
Foundations of College Writing – Dr. Sherry
Date
Uncovering When Coming to College/ Muslim college life Problem
Attending a university is a major step in your life. It is where you will meet new friends, face new experiences and open yourself up to an entirely new world of knowledge. During this time, you might lose yourself. You might find yourself doing things you never did before. One being, taking your hijab off although it isn't authorized that you do so. In this paper, I first provide background from three other studies of Muslim Woman’s college life: “Lifting the Veil: Multimedia Feature” , “Muslim College Life: Dating, Drinking and Deen”, and “Women in hijab: Uncovering discrimination in the workplace”. Then, I address this question using ethnographic data in the form of interviews and studies. Finally, I draw some conclusions about the Muslim college life here at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Background
Ethnographic studies attempt to understand why Muslim women uncover when they come to college. Huma Ahmed is a researcher who did ethnographic studies of the college culture for Muslim women (NAME, YEAR). Ahmed's article talks about how frustration, desperation and unhappiness becomes the norm. Along with drinking in college, which is forbidden in Islam. In the article she stated “If you don't drink or party you're seen as weird. Drinking is cool and a way for people to socialize, meet and have fun.” This means that the one who chooses not to go out and drink is the one who misses out on those opportunities. Findings
As I interviewed the Muslim community on campus I seen a trend in most of them. When asked if they had a Quran and where did they keep it most said, they had one and that it was on a shelf. So that brought my question how often do they open it up to read it? Some said they would read it here and there. Then others stated that it pretty much just sits on their shelves and collects dust. Although they all said that when they were home they practiced Islam more. Which meant opening up the Quran and reading it more often. Conclusion
Based on ethnographic data, the Muslim community at Bloomsburg University is a community in which these young women get caught up in the whole “College life.” They don't focus on their life before, or how it will affect them afterwards. They live in the present and try to fit in. The Muslim women need to become stronger. The studies completed have shown peer pressure, and acceptance tie into why people uncover. These studies show that these young women don't all want to be separated. They don't want to stand out, they want to experience living life without their hijab.
Foundations of College Writing – Dr. Sherry
Date
Uncovering When Coming to College/ Muslim college life
Problem
Attending a university is a major step in your life. It is where you will meet new friends, face new experiences and open yourself up to an entirely new world of knowledge. During this time, you might lose yourself. You might find yourself doing things you never did before. One being, taking your hijab off although it isn't authorized that you do so. In this paper, I first provide background from three other studies of Muslim Woman’s college life: “Lifting the Veil: Multimedia Feature” , “Muslim College Life: Dating, Drinking and Deen”, and “Women in hijab: Uncovering discrimination in the workplace”. Then, I address this question using ethnographic data in the form of interviews and studies. Finally, I draw some conclusions about the Muslim college life here at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.
Background
Ethnographic studies attempt to understand why Muslim women uncover when they come to college. Huma Ahmed is a researcher who did ethnographic studies of the college culture for Muslim women (NAME, YEAR). Ahmed's article talks about how frustration, desperation and unhappiness becomes the norm. Along with drinking in college, which is forbidden in Islam. In the article she stated “If you don't drink or party you're seen as weird. Drinking is cool and a way for people to socialize, meet and have fun.” This means that the one who chooses not to go out and drink is the one who misses out on those opportunities.
Findings
As I interviewed the Muslim community on campus I seen a trend in most of them. When asked if they had a Quran and where did they keep it most said, they had one and that it was on a shelf. So that brought my question how often do they open it up to read it? Some said they would read it here and there. Then others stated that it pretty much just sits on their shelves and collects dust. Although they all said that when they were home they practiced Islam more. Which meant opening up the Quran and reading it more often.
Conclusion
Based on ethnographic data, the Muslim community at Bloomsburg University is a community in which these young women get caught up in the whole “College life.” They don't focus on their life before, or how it will affect them afterwards. They live in the present and try to fit in. The Muslim women need to become stronger. The studies completed have shown peer pressure, and acceptance tie into why people uncover. These studies show that these young women don't all want to be separated. They don't want to stand out, they want to experience living life without their hijab.